AUTHORITIES arrested three individuals, including a teenager, and seized some P14.9 million worth of contrabands in separate law enforcement operations in Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur provinces, officials said Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The police said that one of the three arrested individuals is identified as alias Ab, 59. The teenager was not identified and the third suspect is a 52-year-old driver.
Police Colonel Leo Sua, Lanao del Norte police director, said alias Ab, 59, and the teenager were arrested Monday, July 13, in Libertad village, Kolambugan town.
Sua said the operatives were conducting checkpoint operation when they flagged down a dropside cargo truck driven by Ab for routine inspection.
Upon inspection, Sua said the truck was found carrying 9,000 reams of assorted smuggled cigarettes with an estimated market value of P7,200,000.
He said the apprehended individuals were brought to the Kolambugan Municipal Police Station for proper disposition before being referred to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for appropriate legal action.
The confiscated smuggled cigarettes are currently under the custody of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company for safekeeping.
Meanwhile, Police Colonel Rodolfo Arañas, Zamboanga del Sur police director, the 52-year-old driver was arrested in a law enforcement operation Monday, July 13, in Purok Kinhason, Panduma village, Tukuran municipality.
Arañas said the driver was arrested for failure to present the required documents for the cargo of the minivan he was driving.
Arañas said the law enforcement operation was launched following information received from a confidential informant regarding the unloading and storage of illicit cigarettes in Purok Kinhason, Panduma village.
He said seize were 49 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes with a total estimated value of P7,733,606.60.
The confiscated items were turned over to the BOC for appropriate disposition, while the suspect is now under the custody of Tukuran Municipal Police Station for proper disposition. (SunStar Zamboanga)